U.S. patent number 5,813,911 [Application Number 08/701,309] was granted by the patent office on 1998-09-29 for pattern keno game.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Bally Gaming, Inc.. Invention is credited to Marc Margolin.
United States Patent |
5,813,911 |
Margolin |
September 29, 1998 |
Pattern keno game
Abstract
A method and device for playing a game. The device comprising a
video screen for displaying a playing board wherein the playing
board comprises an array of squares, access for accepting a bet
from a player, a selector for a player to select a pattern of
squares on the playing board, a template generator, a random number
generator for selecting, at random, squares within the playing
board, a scanner to calculate the number of randomly selected
squares which are contained within the template for each different
position in which the template is included within the playing
board, a calculator for determining the payout for a winning
position and for tallying the winnings and crediting the winnings
to the player.
Inventors: |
Margolin; Marc (Culver City,
CA) |
Assignee: |
Bally Gaming, Inc. (Las Vegas,
NV)
|
Family
ID: |
24816849 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/701,309 |
Filed: |
August 21, 1996 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/19 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F
3/0645 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
3/06 (20060101); A63F 009/22 () |
Field of
Search: |
;463/16,17,18,19,20,21
;273/138.1,269 ;364/412,410 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Manuel; George
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fulwider Patton Lee & Utecht,
LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of playing a game having a playing board divided into a
desired number of squares, a means for a player to select a pattern
of squares on the playing board and a means for generating a random
selection of squares on the playing board, comprising:
preparing a template from the pattern of squares selected by the
player;
generating a random selection of squares on the playing board by
the game;
overlaying the template over the playing board, in each of the
positions where the template is included;
counting the number of randomly selected squares contained within
the template;
determining the payout; and
crediting the payouts to the player.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the playing board
consists of an array of eighty squares in an arrangement of
8.times.10.
3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein twenty squares are
randomly selected by the game.
4. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein four to ten of the
squares on the playing board are selected by the player.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the squares selected by
the player are selected from the group consisting of contiguous and
noncontiguous squares.
6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the template retains
the spatial arrangement of the pattern of squares chosen.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the playing board is
displayed on a video screen.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the pattern of squares
selected by the player are displayed on the video screen.
9. A method of playing a game having a playing board comprising a
grid of eighty squares arranged in an 8.times.10 array, means for a
player to select a pattern of between four and ten squares on the
playing board and a random number generator for selecting twenty
squares from the grid at random, comprising:
a. preparing a template from the pattern of squares selected by the
player;
b. generating a random selection of twenty squares on the playing
board by the game;
c. overlaying the template over the playing board at a first
position;
d. counting the number of randomly selected squares contained
within the template at the first position;
e. determining the payout for the first position;
f. moving the template to a next position;
g. counting the number of randomly selected squares included within
the template at the next position;
h. determining the payout for the next position;
i. repeating steps f. to h. until all the different positions in
which the template will be included on the board have been
scanned;
j. totaling the payouts derived from the each of the positions;
and
k. crediting the payouts to the player.
10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the squares selected
by the player are selected from the group consisting of contiguous
and noncontiguous squares.
11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein when a noncontiguous
pattern of squares is chosen the template retains the relative
spatial arrangement of the pattern of squares.
12. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the playing board is
displayed on a video screen.
13. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the pattern of squares
selected by the player are displayed on the video screen.
14. A device for playing a game comprising:
a video screen for displaying a playing board wherein the playing
board comprises an array of squares;
means for accepting a bet from a player;
means for a player to select a pattern of squares on the playing
board;
means for generating a template from the pattern chosen by the
player;
a random number generator for selecting, at random, squares within
the playing board;
means for scanning the playing board with the template to calculate
the number of randomly selected squares which are included within
the template for each different position in which the template is
included within the playing board;
means for calculating the payout for a winning position;
means for tallying the winnings; and
means for crediting the winnings to the player.
15. The device as recited in claim 14 wherein the playing board
consists of an array of eighty squares in an arrangement of
8.times.10.
16. The device as recited in claim 15 wherein twenty squares are
randomly selected by the game.
17. The device as recited in claim 15 wherein a minimum of four to
a maximum of ten squares are selected by the player.
18. The device as recited in claim 14 wherein the squares selected
by the player are selected from the group consisting of contiguous
and noncontiguous squares.
19. The device as recited in claim 18 wherein when a noncontiguous
pattern of squares is chosen the template retains the relative
spatial arrangement of the pattern of squares.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed at a game of chance and a device
for playing the game.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Keno is a game in which a player selects numbers from a grid of
eighty squares, with each square numbered from one to eighty in
sequence. An example of a keno grid is shown in FIG. 1a. The player
first determines how many numbers (or "spots") to select. The
number of spots selected determines the payout odds. For example,
for a five-spot keno game (as shown in FIG. 1b), the player selects
any five of the eighty numbers and marks them. Then, the machine
selects at random, twenty of the eighty numbers (the shaded squares
as shown in FIG. 1c) . When the machine selects a number that the
player also selected, this is known as a "hit". If the player
received enough hits to have a winning ticket, the machine then
pays off according to an established payoff schedule. For example,
the payout odds may be as follows: For $1 wagered, if the player
catches three out of five, the player wins $1; if the player
catches four out of five as shown in FIG. 1c) the player wins $20;
and if the player catches all five out of five, the player wins
$600.
The above example demonstrates keno as played on a video machine.
Keno can also be played using paper tickets (similar to Bingo) and
a common board used by multiple players but each with their own
paper tickets. In this version of the game, a player marks his
ticket with a crayon to indicate his number selections and then
registers the ticket with an employee at the keno desk of the
casino. This ticket is then played against the next game displayed
on the common board, with each player playing independent tickets.
The common board merely lights up the twenty random numbers which
are selected using numbered ping pong balls (similar to the
lottery). The player then reviews his ticket and circles the
numbers that both he selected and the ones that were selected at
random as displayed on the common keno board. If he received enough
hits, as determined by the payout schedule, he would take his
winning ticket to the employee at the keno desk for his payoff.
Keno played with paper tickets and a common board differs from
video keno in that video keno is played by a single player using
his own machine and own number selection process while the former
is played by multiple independent players. Also, video keno
indicates on a single medium (the eighty number grid) both the
spots selected by the player and the spots subsequently selected by
the machine, which easily shows the hits and whether or not the
ticket is a winner. Video keno is also much faster, with the
capability of playing each game in a matter of seconds as opposed
to several minutes for a game using paper tickets and a common
board.
Another form of keno is way-keno. In way-keno, the player plays
multiple games of keno on a single ticket. In playing way-keno,
groups of numbers are separated by lines or circles. The groups are
then combined together to make individual tickets for all the ways
that a player wishes to play (see FIG. 2). The player, in the
example shown in FIG. 2, selected four separate groups of numbers
and encircled each group. One group contains four numbers, one
group contains three numbers and the other two groups contain two
numbers each. In this example, the groups are then combined in
every possible way to establish each of the games that are played.
For instance, the group of four numbers is combined with the group
of three numbers to establish a seven-spot game. In FIG. 2, there
are fifteen different ways that the groups can be combined to form
fifteen different games (or "ways"). Four of the ways played are
the individual groups themselves. All of the combinations (games or
"ways") being played are listed below in Table I.
In this example, there are a total of fifteen games of keno that
are being played on one ticket. If the player decides to play $1
per way ($1 per game), the total price for this way ticket would be
$15.
In the example shown, there is one way all four groups can be
combined (4+3+2+2) to yield one eleven-spot game; there are four
additional ways that three of the four groups can be combined;
there are six additional games that two of the four groups can be
combined; and finally, each of the groups can be played solo for
four additional games to give fifteen games played altogether. Of
the fifteen games, there is one eleven-spot, two nine-spots, one
eight-spot, two seven-spots, two six-spots, two five-spots, two
four-spots, one three-spot and two two-spots.
TABLE I ______________________________________ Spots Game No.
Groups Used Played ______________________________________ 1 4 3 2 2
11 All 4 groups used 2 4 3 2 9 3 of 4 groups used 3 4 3 2 9 3 of 4
groups used 4 4 2 2 8 3 of 4 groups used 5 3 2 2 7 2 of 4 groups
used 6 4 3 7 2 of 4 groups used 7 4 2 6 2 of 4 groups used 8 4 2 6
2 of 4 groups used 9 3 2 5 2 of 4 groups used 10 3 2 5 2 of 4
groups used 11 2 2 4 2 of 4 groups used 12 4 4 1 of 4 groups used
13 3 3 1 of 4 groups used 14 2 2 1 of 4 groups used 15 2 2 1 of 4
groups used ______________________________________
The player uses the payout schedules for each game independently
and adds the winnings for each game independently. Way-keno tickets
can have more than one winning game.
Way-keno often involves complicated math just to calculate how many
games are being played and how much money is being wagered. In
fact, because of its complexity, casinos often offer "suggested" or
"fixed" way-keno games with the cost of the game and the payout
schedule pre-printed so that the player may just play the games
published by the casino and doesn't need to make any calculations.
For the same reasons, it is often difficult for the player to
figure out if any money is won and how much. Because way-keno is so
complex, most players avoid it and simply play regular keno.
It is desirable to provide a game of chance which provides more
excitement than keno and way-keno, but which is simple enough to be
played by the average gambler.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed at a method and device for
playing a game similar to keno. The device comprising a video
screen for displaying a playing board wherein the playing board
comprises an array of squares, access for accepting a bet from a
player, a selector for a player to select a pattern of squares on
the playing board, a template generator, a random number generator
for selecting, at random, squares within the playing board, a
scanner to calculate the number of randomly selected squares which
are included within the template for each different position in
which the template is included within the playing board, a
calculator for determining the payout for a winning position and
for tallying the winnings and crediting the winnings to the
player.
The method comprises preparing a template from the pattern of
squares selected by the player, generating a random selection of
squares on the playing board by the game, overlaying the template
over the playing board in each possible position where the template
will be included, counting the number of randomly selected squares
contained within the template, determining the payout for each
position, totaling the payouts derived from each of the winning
positions and crediting the payouts to the player.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be described with reference to the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify
corresponding like components.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1a is a schematic of a keno grid;
FIG. 1b is a schematic of a keno grid in which five spots have been
selected;
FIG. 1c is a schematic of a keno grid in which five spots have been
selected and in which the keno device has randomly selected twenty
numbers;
FIG. 2 is a schematic of a keno grid on which way-keno is being
played;
FIG. 3 is a schematic of a Pattern Keno video device;
FIG. 4a is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the player
has selected the pattern to be played;
FIG. 4b is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the game has
made a template of the player's pattern and placed the template to
the side of the playing board;
FIG. 4c is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the game has
selected twenty random squares;
FIG. 4d is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the game has
placed the template onto the first position on the grid to
determine if a win has been achieved;
FIG. 4e is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the game has
placed the template onto the second position on the grid to
determine if a win has been achieved;
FIG. 4f is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the game has
placed the template onto the thirty-sixth position on the grid to
determine if a win has been achieved. At this position, there is a
seven out of nine match, which is a winner for this pattern;
FIG. 4g is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the game has
placed the template onto the thirty-seventh position on the grid to
determine if a win has been achieved. At this position, there is
another seven out of nine match, which is another winner;
FIG. 4h is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the game has
placed the template onto the forty-forth position on the grid to
determine if a win has been achieved. At this position, there is a
six out of nine match, which is also a winner for this pattern,
which is the third winner for this game;
FIG. 5a is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the player
has selected the pattern to be played;
FIG. 5b is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the game has
made a template of the player's pattern and placed the template to
the side of the playing board;
FIG. 5c is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the game has
selected twenty random squares;
FIG. 5d is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the game is
shown with the template scanning the squares and finding a win of
six out of eight at position twenty-six for this game;
FIG. 5e is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the template
has continued scanning the squares and has found another winner of
six out of eight at position twenty-seven for this game;
FIG. 5f is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the template
has continued scanning the squares and has found another winner of
six out of eight at position twenty-eight for this game;
FIG. 5g is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the template
has continued scanning the squares and has found another winner of
six out of eight at position thirty-two for this game; and
FIG. 5h is a schematic of a Pattern Keno grid on which the template
has continued scanning the squares and has found another winner of
six out of eight at position thirty-four for this game, which is
the fifth winner for this game.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention is a game of chance which is similar to keno
which is called, for convenience, "Pattern Keno." Pattern Keno
involves the use of a playing board grid 26 (see FIG. 4) of, for
example, eighty squares. However, unlike keno, the squares may be
unnumbered since the numbers have no relevance in this game.
Instead of playing specific numbers as shown in keno and way-keno,
"patterns" of squares are used. Like way-keno, Pattern Keno
involves playing multiple games simultaneously on a single playing
board grid.
The payout schedule for Pattern Keno is based on the number of
spots the player picks and the number of games to be played. The
number of games to be played is based on how many ways the selected
pattern will be included in the playing board grid.
Pattern Keno is preferably played on a video device to automate the
calculations required to determine the number of wins received by
the player. FIG. 3 shows the components of a video Pattern Keno
device of the present invention. These components and their
programming are well known to those skilled in the art.
The Pattern Keno device comprises a video display screen 10 for
displaying the progress of the game and a means, such as a light
pen, a mouse, touch screen or other similar device 12 for selecting
the desired pattern 28 (see FIG. 4) of the player on the video
display screen. The Pattern Keno device includes a coin slot and
coin counter 14 for inserting coins. There may also be a similar
device which accepts paper money for credits. Once the player is
satisfied with the pattern chosen, start button 16 is pressed to
initiate the game. At the end of the game, if the player has won,
coins are returned to the player through coin return 18 or,
alternatively, credited to the player. The components of the
device, the video display screen, the means for selecting the
player's desired pattern on the video display screen, the coin
slot, the start button and the coin return are connected to a
central processing unit (cpu) 20. The cpu is connected to a random
number generator 22 for generating numbers to select squares within
a playing board displayed on the video display screen. The playing
board, in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4,
comprises a ten-by-eight grid of squares, although other
configurations of grid arrays are possible.
To play a game, the player deposits coins into the video gaming
device or plays credits which have already been established by the
player. The player may play any number of coins or credits (to a
determined maximum). The payout odds for the game are multiplied by
the number of coins or credits played. In the example of a
ten-by-eight grid, a player can play a single credit and play up to
sixty-three possible games (when a two-by-two square pattern is
played, as an example) on that one credit, depending on the pattern
played and the number of ways that pattern is included into the
playing grid. If a player plays multiple coins or credits, the
payout odds are enhanced. In one embodiment of the present
invention, the player may use multiple coins to play multiple
patterns simultaneously, with independent wagers on each pattern.
In this version, the player picks multiple patterns and after the
machine selects the squares at random, the machine scans each
pattern across the grid, one after the next and adds winnings for
each pattern independently.
The player selects squares to form a pattern from the playing board
grid of eighty squares. When the player selects a square, it
changes color so as to be distinguished from the unselected
squares. If the player selects a square in error, the player may
"unselect" the square, changing the square back to its original
color. The player may select any squares from a minimum of four to
a maximum of ten (the minimum and maximum limits are arbitrarily
set for the purposes of explanation). In one embodiment of the
present invention, the payout odds are displayed below the playing
board grid. The payout odds are updated as each square is selected
(or "unselected") by the player in sequence, until the player has
determined enough squares have been selected for the game. In
addition, the number of games the player is playing is also updated
with each square selected (or "unselected"). The number of games
played is the number of different positions in which the selected
pattern will be included onto the playing board grid without
overlapping the edges of the grid (the pattern must be fully
contained within the grid). In one embodiment of the present
invention, the pattern may overlap the edges of the playing grid to
accommodate more positions for the selected pattern. In another
embodiment of the present invention, the template "wraps" around
the edges of the playing grid such that the template emerges on the
opposite edge of the playing grid to accommodate a greater chance
of winning. In one embodiment of the present invention, patterns
are selected from a menu of pattern choices which are displayed on
the video display screen.
The player may modify the pattern until the player is content with
the pattern created. The pattern chosen does not need to be
contiguous and a non-contiguous pattern is played with its separate
parts always having the same relative spacial arrangement (see FIG.
5).
When the player is content with the pattern created, the player
selects the start button. The pattern is then stored in the memory
of the device and a template 30 (see FIG. 4) of the pattern is
created and displayed. The video device then selects, for example,
twenty squares in the playing board grid at random and displays the
results by "coloring" or "lighting" the selected squares 32.
After the twenty squares are selected by the video device, the
template of the selected pattern scans the playing board grid,
covering each of the positions in which the template is included
onto the playing board grid, searching for winning games. The
template is an outline of the pattern selected and is used to show
the player if the pattern selected matches any of the twenty
randomly selected squares closely enough to be a winner as
established by the payout odds that correspond to that game.
Once the template has "scanned" the entire playing board grid, the
credits reflecting the winnings from the game are paid to the
player and the player may go on to play additional games. The
player may retain the pattern from the prior game played and play
it again or may start afresh with a different pattern.
EXAMPLE 1
A pattern of squares is chosen by the player on the playing board
as shown in FIG. 4. In this example, nine contiguous squares are
chosen. The video would then display the parameters of the game as
follows:
______________________________________ Games = 48 9 out of 9 pays
10,000 Spots = 9 8 out of 9 pays 119 Credits = 9 7 out of 9 pays 5
Wins = 0 6 out of 9 pays 1
______________________________________
In this example, "Games=48" indicates that there are fourty-eight
ways (or positions) in which the selected pattern will be included
within the playing grid and so the player is playing 48 games
simultaneously by selecting this pattern. "Spots=9" refers to the
nine squares selected by the player which form the pattern. The
player had ten credits but deposited one in order to play the game.
The number of credits remaining after depositing the one credit is
nine. The player then designs or selects a pattern to be played.
When the player is content with the selected pattern (FIG. 4a), the
player selects the start button. A template is made from the
pattern selected by the player and placed to the side of the
playing grid (FIG. 4b). Twenty squares are then selected at random
from among the array of eighty squares displayed on the video
device. The selected squares are "colored" to distinguish them from
the non-selected squares (FIG. 4c) . After all twenty squares are
selected, the template is placed on the first position of the
playing board grid (in the upper-left corner in this example),
including nine of the squares of the playing grid (FIG. 4d) and
then scans the entire playing grid, covering every possible
grouping of nine squares in the form of the template on the grid,
so long as the template is always entirely within the playing grid
with no portion of the template overlapping or extending over any
of the edges of the playing grid. While scanning, the template
searches for winning positions in which there are enough selected
squares within the template to be a winning combination (in this
example, at least six of the nine squares within the template must
have been selected to be a winning combination). In this example,
the template scans the playing grid starting in the upper-left
corner, scans to the right until it can go no farther, then moves
down one position, then scans to the left until it can go no
farther, then moves down one position again and repeats this motion
until it has scanned the entire playing grid. This is just an
arbitrary example of the path that the template makes across the
playing grid. The scanning may be done in any manner so long as it
covers all possible playing positions. An illustration of the
template scanning for a winner is shown in FIGS. 4d-h.
In this example game, there are three winners (FIGS. 4f-h). The
template scans the grid back and forth until it comes across the
first winner. The template then pauses, and in one embodiment of
the invention, changes the color of the randomly selected squares
that are enclosed within the template, tallies the winnings,
returns the squares to their original color and then continues to
scan for additional winners. The first winner is shown in FIG. 4f.
The video displays the winning for this match as follows:
______________________________________ Games = 48 9 out of 9 pays
10,000 Spots = 9 8 out of 9 pays 119 Credits = 14 7 out of 9 pays 5
Wins = 5 6 out of 9 pays 1
______________________________________
The "7 out of 9 pays 5" line is highlighted to indicate the winning
status that the template has discovered in this position. Seven out
of nine of the squares in the pattern chosen by the player are
among the squares selected at random when the pattern is in this
position on the playing grid. The wins increases from zero to five
because the player has won five credits with this win. "Wins="
indicates the aggregate winnings for all wins that the template
finds in all positions of the playing grid. Similarly, the player's
credits are increased from nine to fourteen because the player has
won five credits with this win.
The template then continues to scan the grid until it comes across
the second winner as shown in FIG. 4g. The video displays the
winning for this match as follows:
______________________________________ Games = 48 9 out of 9 pays
10,000 Spots = 9 8 out of 9 pays 119 Credits = 19 7 out of 9 pays 5
Wins = 10 6 out of 9 pays 1
______________________________________
The second winner is also seven out of nine and so the player has
won another five credits. The winnings are added to both the total
wins and player's credits. The wins increase from five to ten and
the player's credits increase from fourteen to nineteen.
Finally, the template continues to scan until the third winner is
found and tabulated (FIG. 4h). The video displays the winning for
this match as follows:
______________________________________ Games = 48 9 out of 9 pays
10,000 Spots = 9 8 out of 9 pays 119 Credits = 20 7 out of 9 pays 5
Wins = 11 6 out of 9 pays 1
______________________________________
The third winner is six out of nine and so, according to the pay
schedule, the player has won one additional credit. The winnings
are again added to both the total wins and player's credits. The
wins increase from ten to eleven and the player's credits increase
from nineteen to twenty.
The template continues scanning the rest of the grid but finds no
additional winners for this game. This game is then over. The
player has won a total of eleven credits from three winning
positions (games).
EXAMPLE 2
A pattern of squares is chosen by the player on the playing grid as
shown in FIG. 5a. In this example, eight non-contiguous squares
(two groups of four) are chosen. The video would then display the
parameters of the game as follows:
______________________________________ Games = 36 8 out of 8 pays
1,800 Spots = 8 7 out of 8 pays 86 Credits = 9 6 out of 8 pays 2
Wins = 0 ______________________________________
In this example, "Games=36" indicates that there are thirty-six
ways (or positions) in which the selected pattern will be included
within the playing grid and so the player is playing thirty-six
games simultaneously by selecting this pattern. "Spots=8" refers to
the eight squares selected by the player which form the pattern.
The player had ten credits but deposited one in order to play the
game. The number of credits remaining after depositing the one
credit is nine. The player then designs or selects a pattern to be
played. When the player is content with the selected pattern (FIG.
5a), the player selects the start button. A template is made from
the pattern selected by the player and placed to the side of the
playing grid (FIG. 5b). Twenty squares are then selected at random
from among the array of eighty squares displayed on the video
device. The selected squares are "colored" to distinguish them from
the non-selected squares (FIG. 5c). After all twenty squares are
selected, the template scans the entire playing grid, covering
every possible grouping of eight squares in the form of the
template on the grid, so long as the template is always entirely
within the playing grid with no portion of the template overlapping
or extending over any of the edges of the playing grid. In a
non-contiguous pattern, such as in this example, the separate
pieces of the pattern retain their same relative spacing with
respect to each other while scanning. While scanning, the template
searches for winning positions in which there are enough selected
squares within the template to be a winning combination (in this
example, at least six of the eight squares within the template must
have been selected to be a winning combination). In this example,
the template scans the playing grid starting in the upper-left
corner, scans to the right until it can go no farther, then moves
down one position, then scans to the left until it can go no
farther, then moves down one position again and repeats this motion
until it has scanned the entire playing grid. This is just an
arbitrary example of the path that the template makes across the
playing grid. The scanning may be done in any manner so long as it
covers all possible playing positions. An illustration of the
template scanning for a winner is shown in FIGS. 5d-h. The first
winner is shown in FIG. 5d. The video displays the winning for this
match as follows:
______________________________________ Games = 36 8 out of 8 pays
1,800 Spots = 8 7 out of 8 pays 86 Credits = 11 6 out of 8 pays 2
Wins = 2 ______________________________________
The wins increase from zero to two because the player has won two
credits with this win and the player's credits likewise increase
from nine to eleven.
The template then continues to scan the grid until it hits the
second winner as shown in FIG. 5e. The video displays the winning
for this match as follows:
______________________________________ Games = 36 8 out of 8 pays
1,800 Spots = 8 7 out of 8 pays 86 Credits = 13 6 out of 8 pays 2
Wins = 4 ______________________________________
The second winner is also six out of eight and so the player has
won another two credits. The wins now increase from two to four and
the player's credits increase from eleven to thirteen.
The template continues to scan and finds the third winner (FIG.
5f). The video displays the winning for this match as follows:
______________________________________ Games = 36 8 out of 8 pays
1,800 Spots = 8 7 out of 8 pays 86 Credits = 15 6 out of 8 pays 2
Wins = 6 ______________________________________
The third winner is again six out of eight and so the player has
won another two credits and the wins and credits each increase by
another two.
The template continues to scan and finds the fourth winner (FIG.
5g). The video displays the winning for this match as follows:
______________________________________ Games = 36 8 out of 8 pays
1,800 Spots = 8 7 out of 8 pays 86 Credits = 17 6 out of 8 pays 2
Wins = 8 ______________________________________
The fourth winner is again six out of eight and so the player has
won another two credits and the wins and credits each increase by
another two.
Finally, the template continues to scan until the fifth winner is
found and tabulated (FIG. 5h). The video displays the winning for
this match as follows:
______________________________________ Games = 36 8 out of 8 pays
1,800 Spots = 8 7 out of 8 pays 86 Credits = 19 6 out of 8 pays 2
Wins = 10 ______________________________________
The fifth winner is once again six out of eight, the player has won
another two credits and the wins and credits once again increase by
two each.
The template continues scanning the rest of the grid but finds no
additional winners for this game. This game is then over. The
player has won a total of ten credits from five winning positions
(games).
Pattern Keno offers many advantages to keno and way-keno. Pattern
Keno is much simpler to play than way-keno. Pattern Keno involves
simple pattern recognition. Simply play a coin, select any pattern,
press go. If enough of the pattern is found anywhere on the playing
grid, the player wins. Way-keno often involves complicated math
just to calculate how many games are being played and how much
money is being played. In fact, because of its complexity, the
casinos often offer "suggested" or "fixed" way-keno games with the
cost of the game and the payout schedule pre-printed so that the
player just plays the games published by the casino and doesn't
need any calculations. For the same reasons, it is often difficult
for the player to calculate if any money is won and how much. Due
to its complexity, most players avoid way-keno and simply play
regular keno. Pattern Keno is exciting because the player can see a
winner forming as the squares are selected at random on the playing
grid. It also adds an extra element of excitement as the template
scans the playing grid, searching for a winner.
Other advantages of the Pattern Keno game, over other keno games,
are as follows:
The Pattern Keno game is dynamic with the template scanning the
playing grid, searching for winners. In both keno and way-keno the
player is playing specific numbers and after the numbers are
chosen, the game is "static."
The payout odds are also flexible in Pattern Keno with payout odds
being adjusted according to the number of ways the selected pattern
can be included in the playing grid. For example, one 5-spot game
may have different payout odds than another 5-spot game, depending
on the pattern chosen. In effect, the player can manipulate the
payout odds by selecting different patterns. In keno and way-keno,
the payout odds remain the same between games that have the same
number of spots chosen.
Pattern Keno is unlimited. The player can pick any pattern where
the number of spots selected falls between the determined minimum
and maximum. In way-keno, combinations of grouped numbers are used.
If too many groups are selected, the number of combinations of
games being played becomes confusing.
The present invention is not to be limited to the specific
embodiments shown which are merely illustrative. Various and
numerous other embodiments may be devised by one skilled in the art
without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. For
example, "squares" are used for illustrating the game although
other shaped playing areas within the grid could also be used.
Also, a template can be included within the playing board by
"wrapping" around the edges of the playing grid such that the
template emerges on the opposite edge of the playing grid to
increase the chances of winning or the template can be included by
not "wrapping" around the edge of the board to reduce the chances
of winning. Also, if desired, the positions in which the template
is included may be designated by the operator of the game to reduce
or increase the chances of winning and may not include all possible
positions, as desired. The scope of this invention is defined in
the following claims.
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